Tag Archives: iron man

Review: Captain America: Civil War – the real versus movie

Captain America: Civil War is the third installment in the Captain America films, being a direct sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it’s also the 13th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s about Cap and Iron Man disagreeing if political intervention should be involved with how the Avengers operate. Civil War is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, with a screenplay by Christopher Markus Stephen McFeely. The movie stars; Chris Evans, Robert Downy Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bethany, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, Tom Holland, Frank Grillo, Willian Hurt and Daniel Bruhl. This is how you pit superhero against superhero. Continue reading

Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron – The Summer Has Assembled!

Avengers: Age of Ultron is about our favorite superhero team venturing out on another mission to save the world, in this case, it’s a mechanized creation that that’s highly intelligent, highly resourceful, and highly charismatic. The film is written and directed by the great Joss Wheadon, and stars an all-star cast; Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Anthony Mackie, Hayley Atwell, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgård, James Spader, and Samuel L. Jackson. It opened at $187.7 million this weekend.

Continue reading

Review: Iron Man 3 – In which the trilogy ends

Finally got to see Iron Man 3, it’s the third installment in to the Iron Man franchise, this film being directed and written by Shane Black. I’m a Shane Black fan, he’s done; the Lethal Weapon movies, Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang, The Last Boyscout…
In short, the third movie is about Tony Stark battling a new villain as well as personal demons.

The good; Robert Downey Jr, he carries this movie completely and thoroughly. His comedy timing and delivery is great, there’s some scenes in particular with a kid, but I won’t get in to it.

The scene where Iron Man has to rescue passengers suddenly ejected from a plane is great. There’s a real sense of geography and urgency amidst this chaotic situation and it’s pulled off very well.

The bad; it wasn’t the movie I had hoped for, not typical of Shane Black’s previous work. The twists and turns aren’t hard to spot, and much like The Dark Knight Rises, there isn’t much of Iron Man in this film. It seemed that there was too much to service in the story, you have the Extremis stuff as well as the Mandarin.

Overall, enjoyed it better than the second movie, but the first movie is still the best one out of the trilogy.
Again… wait till the end of the credits (as you should) for a tag at the end.

Iron Man 3 – What I Know About the Mandarin is Probably Useless

The new trailer for Iron Man 3 was released last week. With it, and a photo released by Entertainment Weekly, it shows that one of the villains in the movie is “The Mandarin”. Watch the trailer below:

I loved the whole series of movies Marvel has been releasing. Even though some are a bit weak (Read: Thor), I still find them entertaining. I hope this one will not disappoint. Iron Man 2 was a bit weak and quick for the ending.  This third movie seems like it will have the same general plot like Dark Knight Rises, where Tony Stark will have to fall hard and have to rebuild himself to be better in order to conquer the villain of the Mandarin as well as his internal self.

Hildebrandt Trading card of The Mandarin

Lo Pan and the Mandarin - Do you think they shop in the same store, or they just like accessories?

As you can see the Mandarin will be played by Sir Ben Kingsley, who is a wonderful actor. He was in Hugo, Gandhi, Schindler’s List, Sneakers, Searching for Bobby Fischer and many other great movies. I’m sure his portrayal of The Mandarin will be good. Although a piece of me wonders how he’s called the Mandarin and isn’t really Chinese. (The New Karate Kid, I am looking at you). But Ben Kingsley is a great actor, so surely it can’t be bad. We can all forget Bloodrayne, right?

The first time I remember seeing the Mandarin character was in a Marvel trading card series that were painted by the Hilderbrandt brothers. It was a dynamic intense view of the villain. it accentuated where his powers came from – the ten rings on his fingers. And it reminded me of the Planeteers, how each ring has a different power.  Still, the depiction of him reminded me of Lo Pan from Big Trouble in Little China – both Asian, both with similar hair stylists and wardrobe supervisors. Although Mandarin’s powers come from alien technology, it just seemed a bit mystical to me much like Lo Pan’s abilities.

I’m not sure what angle the movie will use to play out the Mandarin’s origin and how he can overpower Iron Man/Tony Stark. Guy Pearce is in the trailer, and it would seem like he will also play a bit of a villainous part, much like Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2.

We shall see when the movie premieres on May 3. And with the coming holiday movies, I”m sure there will be more trailers premiering and each one revealing just a bit more of the movie.

Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin in Iron Man 3

Avengers Trailer 2 is Out!

Avengers assemble!  Looks like we got a new teaser with more Hulk action!  Take a look below for the latest trailer.

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

Official page

2011 Comikaze: Talking with Cosplay Fans

Yup. We did it again. Another intimate look at cosplay fans. Check out the clips below and discover who showed up at the 2011 Comikaze.

00:00 Nerfpunk (Nerf + Steampunk mashup) talks about supporting Comikaze because it’s for the geeks, by the geeks. Check her out on the web and on twitter: @MakeUpBySiryn
02:11 A psychology student cosplays Link (Legend of Zelda)
03:13 A sheriff cosplays Pyramid head and explains he loves the character’s darkness.
05:29 A 6th grade student teacher cosplays a deku from Legend of Zelda (Ocarina of Time) and says “no comment” when asked how to solve the education system’s problems
08:01 Ariel (Little Mermaid), cosplayed by a visual effects artist that worked on Arthur Christmas, talks about the use of 3D in movies giving her a headache. Check her out on Facebook
10:51 A TSA agent cosplays Joel Robinson (Mystery Science Theater 3000) says she likes Comikaze because it goes back to the roots of comics. If you’re a friend, add her on Facebook
14:07 Amazing Spider-Man talks reboots, the moral values of Peter Parker, the spark on kids’ face. He’ll be joining the military in a couple of years.
16:18 We weren’t able to get inside the Mark Hamill panel for Sushi Girl, but did talk to some people waiting in line. The first talks about his thoughts on Comikaze as the first convention he’s ever been to. He mentions seeing Stan Lee in person being quite a treat. I ask his buddy about Star Wars who tells me which episode is his favorite and shares thoughts about George Lucas’ revisions.
20:47 This guy was one of my favorites of this convention. I’m so glad I stumbled across this fellow. This Snow Trooper (Episode V) also talks about George Lucas’ changes, using the help of 501st.com to make his costume, and his German origins. I became instantly fascinated with his background and learned he was a marketing student who loves how friendly people are in Califorina but hates the speed limits on freeways.
24:46 A fan briefly explains why he loves the Joker. We weren’t able to talk with him more due to the line moving into the hall
25:02 A fan does a mashup of Simpsons and Dragon Ball Z to create: Hegeta (Homer + Vegeta). He offers a suggestion of how the Simpsons should end the show and talks about why the Dragon Ball Z movie was a flop and how they could make a reboot better.
29:28 We knew there would be plenty of Elvira fans since this was her last convention appearance. I caught up with one fan who explains why she loves Elvira, meeting Elvira, and if anyone else can fill Elvira’s shoes. I asked about her personal life and she explained she’s an assistant editor for a film trailer house, Ignition Creative. Check out her deviantart profile here
32:28 A fan cosplays Rainbow Dash, the fastest pony in all of Equestria, talks about putting her blood and sweat into making her costume. Follow her on twitter: @mkpresson. When I ask her about the craziest thing she’s seen, she points to a guy just to her left who turns out to be playing a character from Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride.

00:00 A very chatty, original costume, cosplay fan talks about his custom work, making moccasins, and being a Hawaiian cowboy. Check out his pizza businss on Facebook
03:49 The green man we chatted with earlier ends up in a battle/dance with another full body suit guy. Hilarity ensues.
05:04 Guy Gardner (Green Lantern) loves being a total douche and says he’d reboot the Star Wars movies.
06:50 Steampunk peacock. Check out her steampunk group here and follow her on twitter: @saintchimo
08:51 Girls and Corpses representative has trouble convincing me why people have a corpse fetish
10:39 A pool boy cosplays a Tusken Raider
12:52 Phantom of the Opera talks about being dragged into conventions by her daughter
14:25 Another fan takes method acting very seriously and doesn’t get out of character as Rorschach (Watchmen)
15:07 A college student cosplays Allen Walker. She wants to be a costume designer and we think she’s onto a good start
17:05 The Red Shirt Army from Star Trek. Check out their youtube channel here and follow them on twitter: @inprovence
19:50 A steampunk couple does it right. It’s always nice to see couples get into the spirit of things together and really invest some considerable time and effort into their costumes
23:23 A fan cosplays Speed Racer and talks about his first car. Follow him on twitter: @jaysethan and check out his site
26:19 This fan cosplays Gem (Tron Legacy) and really pulls it off. She works for the Disney Channel as a satellite operator. Follow her on twitter: @annisse
28:57 This guy helps demonstrate why its fun to ask what people do for a living. He’s an optician that cosplays Cyclops.
30:59 I really love watching childhood favorites come to life. This guy obviously put serious money and time into his Predator costume. He does IT work for an elementary school.
32:25 A young industrial design student traveled all the way from Atlanta and cosplays Rydia (Final Fantasy IV). I love that the cute Anya photobombs in the beginning of the video. Follow her on twitter: @mnikalee

00:00 Costume contest: includes Spy Versus Spy, Anya (Gears of War), Rydia (Final Fantasy IV), Mandalorians (Star Wars), Predator, Deadpool, Jurassic Park, Squirrel Girl, Jedi Bob’s Big Boy, Henchman (Venture Brothers), Black Widow, Cloud (Final Fantasy VII), Dr. Doom, Cobra Commander, Joker, Belle (Beauty and the Beast), the same Poison Ivy from the Anime Expo (@megturney), Wonder Woman, Gem, Putty (Power Rangers), Master Chief (Halo), Lloyd Dobler, Pyramid Head, Rainbow Dash, Catwoman, Rogue (X-Men), Cyberman
13:20 Anya (Gears of War) talks about why she loves the game and Comikaze and says what she’ll buy if she wins the $500
14:46 Putty (Power Rangers)
15:53 Squirrel Girl turns out to be a real character in the Marvel World! I also love how animated she is! Add her on Facebook if you’re a friend and follow her on tumblr
19:24 Winners of the costume contest are announced
24:45 Jurassic Park couple
26:22 A gender bender cosplay fan talks about his character being known for being a slut. I can’t make out the name of the character. If you recognize the character, comment below!

Long Beach Comic Con & Horror Con This Weekend!

Long Beach Comic Con is happening this weekend! Tickets are still on sale. Individual days are $25, and the 2 day weekend pass is $45 (savings of $5).

There will be a special Robot Chicken panel on Saturday at 3:00 pm. Co-creators/executive producers/directors/writers Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, executive producer/head writer Tom Root, actor/writer Breckin Meyer and writers Erik Weiner and Matt Beans are scheduled to be present in the panel. A Q&A, clips from upcoming episodes of season 5 (DVD on sale 10/25, a sneak preview of the exciting next steps for the hit series are some things you should expect to see.

For all you Simpsons fan, there’s going to be a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror panel. Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Gos), Tom Hodges (Clone Wars) and Bill Morrison (The Simpsons) will talk about Jane and Tom’s Treehouse of Horror story. The panel will be on Saturday in Room 103A at 11:00 AM, followed by a signing at the Golden Apple booth.
Other guests include Iron Man 3 director Shane Black, legendary filmmaker John Carpenter, and the entire cast of The Guild.

Full Program Schedule can be found here

For more information including tickets and parking can be found at the Long Beach Comic Con website